Bohairic Dialect

This language variety of Coptic was used in Northern Egypt, particularly in the area of the Delta. Unfortunately, there are very few texts preserved in Bohairic from the earliest times of Coptic literary production (4th to 6th century). They show peculiar features shared with other dialects like Mesokemic and Fayyumic (P. Mich. Inv. 5421). The bulk of the texts in Bohairic dates not earlier than the 10th century. Bohairic is the only Coptic dialect used in Egypt from the Middle Ages onwards, and it is still used today as the liturgical language of the Coptic church.

P. Mich. Inv. 926
Two papyrus folios, 3 verso and 2 recto, of an early Bohairic manuscript codex. They contain a syllabary, that is, an instructional tool consisting of consonant-vowel combinations arranged in alphabetic order. Originally, the codex probably consisted of four sheets (8 folios), of which folios 1 and 8, 3 and 6, and 4 and 5 are joined. Apart from the syllabary, folios 5 and 6 also contain the beginning of Paul's Epistle to the Romans and the first verse of the Book of Job. Theadelphia, western Fayyum. ca. 4th century. Papyrus; folio 2: 26.5 x 16.5; folio 3: 27 x 17.5 cm.

P. Mich. Inv. 926
Two papyrus folios, 2 verso and 3 recto, of an early Bohairic manuscript codex. They contain a syllabary, that is, an instructional tool consisting of consonant-vowel combinations arranged in alphabetic order. Originally, the codex probably consisted of four sheets (8 folios), of which folios 1 and 8, 3 and 6, and 4 and 5 are joined. Apart from the syllabary, folios 5 and 6 also contain the beginning of Paul's Epistle to the Romans and the first verse of the Book of Job. Theadelphia, western Fayyum. ca. 4th century. Papyrus; folio 2: 26.5 x 16.5; folio 3: 27 x 17.5 cm.

apis_4162r_full_2407_4654__0_native (1).jpg

P. Mich. inv. 4162
Papyrus fragment of an unidentified literary text mentioning the Archangel Raphael. Recto. Origin Unknow. Date unknown. Papyrus; 6.5 x 4.8 cm.

P. Mich. inv. 4162
Papyrus fragment of an unidentified literary text mentioning the Archangel Raphael. Verso. Origin Unknow. Date unknown. Papyrus; 6.5 x 4.8 cm.

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Mesokemic Dialect

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Sahidic Dialect